Early intervention services benefit children with disability

Early intervention services benefit children with disability

DISABILITY Services Minister Coralee O'Rourke has today announced that children with disability on the Darling Downs will continue to benefit from early intervention services, with $75,000 allocated to Horizon Foundation's Dalby Baby Bridges Program over three years.

The specialised Baby Bridges program helps children with disability aged five and under develop skills in play, communication, socialisation and functional behaviours.

The Dalby centre provides services for families across the region, including Toowoomba, Miles, Chinchilla, Tara, Lockyer Valley, and Highfields.

The funding is part of a state wide package of $960,000 for Baby Bridges services across the state.

"Our Government understands that early intervention services are important for all children with disability," Mrs O'Rourke said.

"These services can help children develop skills in play, communication, socialising and functional behaviours.

"They can also help increase a child's independence and ability to adapt to their environment and improve their readiness to participate in child care, kindergarten and school.

"I am pleased that with this funding almost 700 families from across the state will be supported through the Baby Bridges program."

Horizon Foundation CEO Joe Gamblin said the renewed funding through the Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services would ensure that vital needs in the community would continue to be met.

"When we launched the Baby Bridges program five years ago our intention was to provide a safe and supportive place for parents of children with disability to work with their child towards achieving important developmental milestones," Mr Gamblin said.

"Since then the program has been able to assist more than 640 children and has spread beyond Redland City via our network of partner organisations.

"We now deliver services at 10 different locations across the state, west as far as Dalby and as far north as Cairns."

Baby Bridges Program State Coordinator Geraldine McKinnon said the impact of the Baby Bridges program could be seen in the progress made by the parents and children it supported.

"We get wonderful feedback from our parents. It is incredibly rewarding to know that we can provide support that makes such a tangible difference in their lives," Ms McKinnon said.

Baby Bridges mother Kathy Neuan said she couldn't recommend the Baby Bridges program enough to other parents.

"I don't know what I'd do without Baby Bridges. It makes such a difference to be able to go there and speak with other parents who are going through a similar situation, and have the therapist and staff there to help me," Ms Neuan said.